Education Commons^™

Goal Attainment And Quality Of Life Through Inclusive College, Kate Strater, Mia Kurkechian, Kassandra Weber

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

With growing opportunity for students with intellectual and developmental disability to access a variety of inclusive higher education programs comes an increased need for program implementers to evaluate practices and outcomes alongside participants. This mixed method, exploratory study examines self-determined goal setting, goal attainment, and quality of life within an inclusive college program as a measure of participant outcome and program evaluation. Furthermore, it provides implications for the importance of self-determined learning and participant voice within program planning, revision, and implementation.1

Coaching To Success: Moving From A Fixed Mindset To A Growth Mindset Through Positive Motivation, Shannon Dianna Ramirez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore my students’ belief perseverance and fixed mindset and help them shift toward self-determination and a growth mindset. Incorporating goal setting, positive intentions, and coachable techniques in my sixth-grade math class, I collected data through an observation journal, student artifacts, and pre and post assessments. I found that goal setting, positive intentions, and coaching techniques enabled students to shift from belief perseverance toward self-determination that will transfer into life outside of the classroom. My findings showed helping students move from a fixed mindset to one of growth is possible but takes time. Creating …

Be Smart And Set Goals, Giulianna Sambone

COR 101 Slides

For this topic, I discussed with the first year students the importance of setting goals in college. Ideas Covered: S.M.A.R.T. Goals Short-Term Goals Long-Term Goals

Goal Setting In Kindergarten: Motivating Young Learners To Be Successful In Learning Sight Words, Ashley Brudvig, Taylor Anderson, Jarrett D. Moore

Journal of Inquiry and Action in Education

The purpose of this research was to determine the effectiveness of goal setting as a motivator for kindergarten students in learning grade-level sight words. This study was conducted over a 6-week period in two Midwestern kindergarten classrooms. The participants in the experimental group were trained in self-setting goals and participated in weekly check-ins and bi-weekly assessments. Themes in motivation were documented using a reflection survey and anecdotal notes. Student growth was tracked using sight word assessments and growth charts. Data suggested participants who set goals achieved higher gains than participants who did not set goals.

Goal Setting: Impacting Teacher Candidate Growth In Residency Practicum Prior To Student Teaching, Shantel Farnan, Victoria Seeger, Sue Wood, Greg Rich

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

Educator preparation programs and school districts continue to strive to meet their commitment to better prepare future teachers for entry into the field of education. For more than 100 years, beginning as a normal school, a midwest university has had a strong reputation for the preparation of teachers. After a significant revision to the curriculum to one driven by competencies, this university increased field experiences for teacher candidates, including a culminating year out called Residency Practicum and Student Teaching. Over the course of the undergraduate program, candidates work toward achievement of competencies assigned throughout the coursework and aligned to state …

Gamified Coding Platforms And Student Motivation: An Investigation Into Motivation And Academic Performance In Computer Programming Students, David C. Freer

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students taking computer programming classes face several serious challenges: learning the syntax, problem solving, and interacting with new interfaces. In order to meet these challenges, instructors have been using Gamified Coding Platforms such as Codewars.com which offer students the opportunity to gain points, see other solutions, and practice in an online environment without the need to install extra software. The study seeks to build a psychological profile of students by measuring their intrinsic motivations along with their extrinsic motivations in the computer programming classroom. The surveys used for the intrinsic and extrinsic measures are based on the self-determination theory, which …

Effects Of Actively Involving Students With Ieps In The Progress Monitoring Process, Kelly Adams

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Special education teachers are trying many ways to help students with IEPs achieve their goals. This action research study looks at one way educators might do that with the involvement of students with IEPs in the progress monitoring process, specifically students with math goals. Instead of having the progress monitoring process as something done to them, students with disabilities were encouraged to take an active role by goal setting, getting feedback, reflecting, and graphing their scores. The five fifth-grade students that this study followed showed signs of growth over the six weeks of this intervention. The findings of this action …

Methods Of Goal Selection, Molly Wickham

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This action research project was created to determine the best method of goal selection. The two methods of goal selection being studied were teacher-selected and student-chosen goals. Students were split into the two groups, randomly, and monitored their own progress over a four-week span. This project was carried out in a second-grade classroom between March and April of 2022. This project was carried out within my own classroom of 20 students, between the ages of seven and nine years old. Findings revealed that more students attained their goals within the teacher-assigned group. However, data analysis, through the Chi-Square Test of …

St Math Student Outcomes: Response To Goal-Setting And Mathematical Supports When Applied To The St Math Problem-Solving Process, Sara Klein

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research study was to identify the impacts of goal setting and the use of mathematical tools on student performance while engaged in ST Math. The study was conducted in eight Kindergarten classrooms across eleven elementary schools in Northeast Iowa. Quantitative data was collected to monitor the following indicators: number of puzzles completed, average student velocity, and average percent journey completion at weekly intervals throughout the collection period. Those results were then analyzed to determine impacts based on the presence of the goal setting and mathematical tools innovations within individual classrooms compared to those that did …

A Case Study In Applied Behavior Analysis: Using Prevent-Teach-Reinforce Strategies To Decrease A Student’S Task Refusal, Kiersten L. Whitaker

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Task refusal might hinder academic performance (e.g., grades, test scores, etc.); however,one model that has been proven to help decrease problem behaviors is the Prevent-TeachReinforce (PTR) model. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the PTR model on the assessment and treatment of problem behavior for one high school student’s task refusal. Results demonstrated the PTR model helped identify plausible functions of task refusal; furthermore, the PTR model led to the development of an effective intervention that was feasible, function-based, and resulted in decreasing task refusal. Keywords: classrooms, function-based intervention, prevent-teach-reinforce, task refusal

An Evaluation Of Student-Led Data Notebooks, Desiree M. Thompson

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this study was to examine teachers' perceptions of data notebooks after implementation in an elementary school in Northeast Florida. This quantitative study was founded on the goal-setting theory, which focuses on setting attainable goals for motivation. The research participants were 45 teachers from a K-5 school. The participants varied in grade level and experience. Data were collected via a survey after teachers had fully implemented data notebooks in the classroom. Understanding teachers' perceptions of data notebooks will encourage school leaders to implement data notebooks to strengthen student accountability, student motivation, and the instructional process in the classroom.

The Impact Of Plcs On Teacher Self-Efficacy, Paula Lynn Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the impact of a professional learning community on teacher self-efficacy at Elm Primary School in rural South Carolina. The literature suggests that PLCs are an amenable approach to improving individual teacher efficacy beliefs and classroom practices (Corcoran, 2007; Guskey, 2003). For this study, self-and collective efficacy were measured using Likert-scale surveys, semi-open ended interviews, participant journals, observation and field notes, and artifacts. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected, making this a mixed-methods study.

The results confirmed and expanded understandings about PLCs' impact on efficacy. Participants recognized goal setting, actions, and results as important qualities of collaboration …

Chart A Clear Course: Evaluation Is Key To Building Better, More Relevant Learning, Chase Nordengren, Thomas R. Guskey

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

When we engage in professional learning, we do it for one big reason: to get better at supporting students. Rigorous and thoughtful program evaluations can provide the critical connection between well-designed programs or initiatives and continuous improvement that builds essential knowledge and skills for educators. Evaluation helps us examine what has been accomplished in a professional learning initiative and identify course corrections that can help the initiative improve.

What Are The Impacts Of Setting Student Learning Objectives On Classroom Instruction And Student Achievement?, Jessica Plaza

Dissertations

Student learning objectives have emerged as a tool to not only measure student growth, but also as a tool to assess an educator’s impact on student learning. The purpose of this inquiry was to determine what, if any, impact student learning objectives have on an educator's instructional planning and delivery, and then create a change plan that addressed the strengths and needs of the educators involved in order to further support growth in utilizing student learning objectives to positively impact student learning.

This research utilized a mixed methods approach to this inquiry. There was analysis of educator reflections submitted as …

Developing Strategic Learners: Supporting Self-Efficacy Through Goal Setting And Reflection, Zoi A. Traga Philippakos

The Language and Literacy Spectrum

When students face academic challenges, when they receive poor grades on a subject, and when they see unchanged performance -even though they put effort on a task- they often develop the belief that they are not capable of overcoming challenges. Continuous underperformance affects students’ self-efficacy and belief that success is an achievable goal. The purpose of this paper is to explain the process of goal setting with continuous reflection to support students’ writing growth and persistence. The paper further comments on teachers’ goal setting for instructional and professional goals in order to support their instructional delivery and their growth as …

The Effects Of A Multi-Component Social Skills Self-Monitoring Program On Two Females Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Mckenzie Bacon

MSU Graduate Theses

Individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often struggle to engage in the skills necessary to engage in a back-and-forth conversation, or reciprocal social conversations (American Psychiatric Association, 2013; Koegel, Park, & Koegel, 2014; Landa et al., 1992; Paul et al., 2004). An ABAB withdrawal design was employed to assess the use of a social skills program which consisted of 2 main components: (1) ASD on the Go module training with embedded video modeling, and (2) social skills self-monitoring with goal setting. Two participants were selected, both 13-year-old females with high-functioning ASD. During both treatment phases, participants were taught verbal …

The Effects Of Giving Effective Feedback Strategies In Reading With Elementary Students, Linda Rodgers

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this action research project is to see the effects of goal setting, giving effective feedback, and student reflection time on self-selected goals in reading. This research setting was conducted with 23 students in a suburban area of the Twin Cities in Minnesota. A pre-survey was given to students before the action research was conducted, with a post-survey given to compare the data. As part of the intervention, students made self-selected reading goals. Then students were given teacher feedback using effective feedback strategies. In addition to feedback, students were given time to reflect on their feedback and goals. …

The Effects Of Goal Setting And Data Tracking On Student Performance, Vesta Watkins

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research project was to determine if student goal setting and data tracking would have an effect on student achievement. Data was collected over a twelve-week period in a first-grade classroom. Fourteen students took part in the action research. Students were assessed using the FAST weekly progress monitoring assessment. Quantitative data was collected weekly throughout three data collection periods, including baseline data, individual data and whole group data. Each data collection period was four weeks long. Students were asked to set a new goal each week and track their weekly scores to look for progress.

Does Goal Setting Make A Better Reader?, Elayna Bierle

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This action research project looked at the relationship between goal setting and an increase in reading levels in six public school students in 4th and 5th grade with learning disabilities in reading. Data was collected through Individualized Education Plan progress reports and individual goals written by the students in connection with the Developmental Reading Assessment test over the fall 2018 semester. The data was compared to the 2018 spring semester IEP goal data from the previous school year when the students had not written goals.

The Impact Of Self-Set Writing Goals On Student Engagement And Academic Outcomes In Middle School Special Education, Emily Alvarez

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this action research project was to study the impact of self-set writing goals on student intrinsic motivation and academic outcomes. The study was conducted at a K12 classical charter school in middle school Tier II special education, meaning they spent between 22% and 60% of their school day in special education or related service settings. The project used a variety of data to understand the impact of self-set goals on student intrinsic motivation and academic outcomes with regard to writing. A questionnaire and time-on-task observation data used during the baseline, first, and second writing tasks were used …

Increasing Physical Activity In Middle Schoolers With Intellectual Disability Using Goal Setting And Fitness Trackers, Hannah J. Dollinger

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of goal setting and fitness trackers to increase daily step counts in adolescents with intellectual disability. An A-B-A-B withdrawal research design was implemented to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention. The results indicated that goal setting and fitness trackers were effective in increasing daily step counts for two out of three participants.

The Effect Of Goal Setting And Student Self-Reflection On Motivation And On Task Behavior In The Upper Elementary Public Montessori Environment, Kelsey E. Alesch, Frances E. Niblack-Rickard

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this action research project was to study the effects of goal-setting and self-reflection on the intrinsic motivation and on task behavior of students in an upper level (ages 9-12) public Montessori classroom. The project used multiple data sources to better understand the impact of goal-setting and self-reflection on student academic achievement, prosocial behavior, and emotional wellbeing. Teacher-made rating scales and self-reflection prompts were used to determine student outlook on completion of their goals while semi-structured student interviews, given at the beginning, middle, and end of the project, gave insight into student perceptions of goal-setting benefits. After analyzing …

Doctoral Program Completion: Grit, Goal-Setting, Social Support, Valerie Blanchard

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

A problem in academia exists regarding the length of time it takes doctoral students to finish their program. More doctoral students are enrolled in a doctoral program than ever before, however, graduation rates have not been increasing at the same rate as student enrollment. Of those students who do graduate from their doctoral program, approximately 50% of students who start do not finish. Research tells us common reasons why doctoral students withdraw, but there is a critical need for research about best practices of how doctoral students persevere through to completion. Less is known about the successful practices of doctoral …

Assessing The Relationship Of Grit And Student Achievement In Reading And Mathematics In Second Grade Students Of The Sault Ste. Marie Public School District, Sheri L. Mcfarlane

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The single most common predictor of success may be how hard students work. Students who persevere when faced with challenges and adversity have grit. This quantitative study explored the relationship of grit and student achievement in students in early elementary school. The subjects of the study were second grade students enrolled in the Sault Ste. Marie Area Public School District. The cognitive measures for this study were the subjects’ scores from the Northwest Evaluation Association’s Measures of Academic Progress in the areas of mathematics and reading. The non-cognitive measure for this research was the Grit-S Scale, which provided a grit …

Investigating The Use Of A Structured Self-Determination Curriculum With Students With Gifts And Talents, Rebecca Carolyn Norton

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of K-12 education in the 21st century is to graduate students fully prepared for college and careers. The skills necessary for a successful transition from postsecondary education to adulthood are the skills of self-determination. These skills include: (a) goal setting, (b) self-evaluation, (c) collaboration, (d) listening and communication, and (e) problem solving. Though elementary students with gifts and talents express an interest in career exploration, and often choose careers that require postsecondary education, they do not receive the guidance or skills to prepare them for life beyond school. No curriculum currently exists to teach these skills to students …

How Does Goal Setting Impact Intrinsic Motivation And Does It Help Lead To Enhanced Learning At The Kindergarten Level?, Melissa A. Beal

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was, how does goal setting impact intrinsic motivation and does it help lead to enhanced learning at the kindergarten level? It documents one teacher’s creation of letter identification pre and post-tests along with check points in between the pre and post-tests. She utilized student graphing charts to document student progress. It integrates Frank’s seven-step process on how to set a goal for yourself. It also discusses Locke’s theories for goal setting and Deci & Ryan’s SelfDetermination Theory. The author documents results collected based on the different tests to help validate the study. She …

Goal Setting And Choice On Student Motivation, Donna K. Dodge

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this research is to determine what effect weekly conferences and goal setting opportunities have on the motivation of kindergarten children, in a multi-age (3-6 year-old) Montessori early childhood classroom in the Midwest. The goal was for children to become selfmotivated to choose and practice independent work that is developmentally appropriate. Data was collected before, during, and after the project using an observational checklist to determine the effectiveness of implementing goal setting and conferences with students. The research showed that writing goals in a journal was helpful for the majority of students. The students involved in the study …

The Effects Of A Goal-Setting Intervention On Delinquent Adolescent Group Treatment Outcomes, Paul D. Grimsley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Goals guide and motivate behavior. An extensive amount of research has linked specific goal characteristics with improved performance and wellbeing (Fujita & MacGregor, 2012; Locke & Latham, 2002). In group psychotherapy, goals are often established at the onset of treatment and commonly not reviewed again until the end of treatment. This model does not teach goal-setting skills or provide feedback to guide goal pursuit. This study utilized a quasi-experimental design to assess the effects of a goal-setting intervention on group treatment outcomes of adolescents with a history of delinquent behaviors. The eight-week (12-session) intervention provided support in establishing goals consistent …

Teaching Goal Setting Strategies In A Title I Elementary School; An Action Research Study, Susan Ridgeway Nunamaker

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative action research study is to explore the impact of goal setting on the learning process of fifth-grade students in a Title I school. The subjects of this research study are 17 fifth-grade student-participants along with their homeroom teacher-participant. A goal setting unit was designed specifically for this action research study to enable student-participants to experience setting mastery goals and to develop an academic engagement practice through goal setting; thus empowering them for future learning. Semi-structured student interviews, student data journals in the form of goal setting forms, and an open-ended interview with the teacher-participant provide …

Principal Perceptions Of Standards-Based Teacher Evaluation In West Virginia, Brent Douglas Griffith

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Standards-based teacher evaluations have become the norm in many states due to an increased focus on student achievement and teacher effectiveness. These evaluations have become integral to the improvement of classroom instruction efforts and the planning of specific professional development for teachers. West Virginia deployed a new standards-based teacher evaluation system in 2014, using the West Virginia Professional Teaching Standards as a basis for measuring teacher performance and growth in certain areas. The new evaluation system also included teacher self-reflection and goal-setting portions. The purpose of this study was to assess the perceptions of school principals as to the effectiveness …